Paid for a 1.6 Leon, got a #$%&+ ...

[Charlie]

Sorry to say that my first post here is to say this:

Got a 1.6 Leon at the end of last July (2002 model), after 2 weeks and 2000 kms of pure joy, hell broke loose. The car started to loose power once in while. The fault was (still is) not permanent. Just happens once in a while, with no apparent pattern though: hot weather or cold weather, highway or in traffic.

(By loosing power I mean, when the fault shows, I have to give it more gas to get it moving, and if the road is rather inclined I can't almost make it move. When riding normally, when I floor it, it accelerates as if had only half the power. If the car it stopped (with engine running) when I turn on the air conditioning on, the rpm needle doesn't stand still (around 900rpm) like it normally does. It just keeps going up and down (600...1000).)

Well, I took it to a Seat official service (the one I bought the car from) and they diagnosed a "air sensor" fault. They changed it and the fault remained.

Then they said it was the "catalitic converter". Changed it, and the fault remained.

The third time I went in, the diagnostic was: "EGR valve" malfunction. Changed it, plus the solenoid, the fault remained.

The fourth attempt pointed to a faulty "ECU". Ok, let's change the ECU. Hmmm, we don't have spare ECU's.Let's call the importer.They don't have it either.Let's order one from the factory.It's been two and a half weeks and the ECU hasn't made it's way from Spain (where the factory is) to Portugal (where I am).

To sum up, I've had the car for 2 and a half months, it has spent 1 month in the shops, and the problem persists.

Is it just me and my bad luck, or are these 2002 models a big #$%& ?!

Thanks for your time
Cheers
--
Charlie

[ZBOYD]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with your car, you seem to have what we in Britain call a Lemon or Friday afternoon car.

Like all the workers knocked off early when they were building your car. :(

I cant really comment on your particular problem cause im not really technical enough to know that much about it.

Also not knowing your countrys law practice i cant really advise you much on that, but in Britain we have gorvernment organisations that do help to protect us as the consumer from situations like this.

Maybe your country has something similar??

IN the UK we could reject this vehicle on the grounds it is inferior and faulty, and well within our consumer rights to regect it and demand a replacement new vehicle. Its harder to get refunds in this situation, but a new car is usually a good step.

As i say not knowing your rights as consumers in Portugal its difficult for me to advise you further, but if you have a citizens advice centre or group that may be able to advise you of your rights.

Im sure as being a part of Europe you have legislation and rules that can assist you.

Let us know how you get on?

Hope you get sorted out. :)

[Charlie]

...and the ECU finally made it's way from Spain to Portugal. It took one whole month !!!

They're fitting it today, so I guess that later today I'll have the car back. Will the fault be gone?! Who knows.
--
Nuno

[mik]

Charlie,

Hope the new ECU fixes your problems......

At least your dealer has not done anything stupid ~ the VAG MAF (mass air flow) sensor is a known weakness, and I have also heard several other folks talking about EGR valve failures (although I don't even know what that is!).

If the ECU does NOT fix your car, I think I'd follow the advice of ZBOYD and reject the car as "not fit for purpose" ~ they have had reasonable opportunities to fix the car.

[Charlie]

I didn't either. But now I do! :)

EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation system.
It consists of the EGR valve, the modulator (solenoid) and a series of connecting hoses.

Cheers

[Charlie]

And on the 7th day, I said enough is enough.

After the paint problem, the front hood not opening, the ECU thing, it was the electrical rear view mirrors. One day I got home, folded the external rear view mirrors and the next morning, when I tried to open them...nothing happened. So I took my car down to the dealer and "Here, take the key. I don't want this thing. This is not what I paid for". This was the 7th and last time I went there because of car trouble, after only 3 months since I bought the car.

Sent a FAX to the administration of the importer, and they say that the rear view mirrors are fixed so the car is at my disposal at the dealer.

Perhaps they don't need customers. Because this one is one inch away from never ever buying a Seat again. Maybe they are good cars, maybe they have a good cost/quality ratio, it's just that mine hasn't, and if I paid the same as the others, I have the right to get the same.

I know this is not what happens most of the times, but I'm so pissed off at Seat Portugal....

Anyway, a nice weekend to you Seat'ers out there
--
Charlie

[ZBOYD]

Im sorry to hear your problems Charlie, your being treated extremely badly. I would be taking this matter much further now, i would write a letter to SEAT Customer support and phone them too. Explain your grievences and explain that you want to regect the car as you've lost faith in it, and the ability of the dealer to fix the problem.

And demand they either refund you or replace the vehicle with a new car. If they refuse i would speak to a solicitor/lawyer about taking the matter further.

As i said in my earlier post without knowing the law in Portugal i cant be much more help to you.

But i'd seriously take this further.

Good Luck

[Charlie]

I've been in touch with the customer support of Seat here in Portugal (the importer like I referred in the previous post). They proposed that I wnet and get the car and try it for a while to see if it's fine. I said no. I don't trust that car. So they said they would pass the issue to the management and it was the managment of Seat Portugal who replied saying the car was ready and that they were at my disposal for any further information.

I guess they decided to throw this one at me to see if I just shut up.

I'm already in contact with the Consumer Defense here in Portugal. My father is their associate. They aren't getting away with it.

Thanks for your words though. It makes me feel that I'm not alone in this world.
--
Charlie